Chiasmocleis ventrimaculata
Chiasmocleis ventrimaculata, also known as the dotted humming frog,[2][3] is a species of frog in the family Microhylidae.[1][2] It is found in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, swamps, and intermittent freshwater marshes.
Chiasmocleis ventrimaculata | |
---|---|
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Amphibia |
Order: | Anura |
Family: | Microhylidae |
Genus: | Chiasmocleis |
Species: | C. ventrimaculata |
Binomial name | |
Chiasmocleis ventrimaculata (Andersson, 1945) | |
Synonyms[2] | |
Engystoma ventrimaculata Andersson, 1945 |
The frog is known to have a mutualistic relationship with the burrowing tarantula Xenesthis immanis.[4] The tarantula provides the frog protection from predators and a food source from insects feeding on the remains of its prey. The frog's foraging protects the tarantula's eggs from ants. This mutualism between microhylids and large spiders is common and occurs in various parts of the world.[3]
In media
The frog made an appearance in the National Geographic documentary Wild Amazon.
References
- Coloma, L.A.; Ron, S.; Monteza, J.I.; Angulo, A.; Jungfer, K.-H.; Castro, F.; Rueda, J.V.; Reichle, S.; De la Riva, I. & Gascon, C. (2004). "Chiasmocleis ventrimaculata". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2004: e.T57764A11672217. Retrieved 27 July 2020.
- Frost, Darrel R. (2020). "Chiasmocleis ventrimaculata (Andersson, 1945)". Amphibian Species of the World: An Online Reference. Version 6.1. American Museum of Natural History. doi:10.5531/db.vz.0001. Retrieved 27 July 2020.
- Naish, Darren (3 July 2009). "Tiny frogs and giant spiders: the best of friends". Scienceblogs.com. Retrieved 27 July 2020.
- Crocroft, Reginald B. & Hambler, Keith (1989). "Observations on a commensal relationship of the microhylid frog Chiasmocleis ventrimaculata and the burrowing theraphosid spider Xenesthis immanis in southeastern Peru" (PDF). Biotropica. 21 (1): 2–8. doi:10.2307/2388434. JSTOR 2388434.
External links
- Data related to Chiasmocleis ventrimaculata at Wikispecies
- Media related to Chiasmocleis ventrimaculata at Wikimedia Commons